The present invention relates to a method of repair of, and means for securing heaters to an article and is primarily concerned with articles which are to be repaired by a repair method such as welding or brazing involving the application to the article of considerable thermal energy, and during which it is desirable that the article should be heated by heating means before, during or after the repair step involving the application of considerable thermal energy.
It has been found that the application of heat to an article that is to be repaired by a step involving the application of considerable thermal energy both before, during and after the repair step is beneficial to the repaired life of the article and such treatment has been found to be particularly beneficial in the repair of pipes and turbine blades.
It has been proposed, when repairing articles which require either preheat or heat during a repair step, to use heating mats which may comprise electrically energised heating elements surrounded by electrically insulating material such as ceramic beads, such mats being inherently flexible and being capable of positioning on the surface of an article and conforming closely thereto.
Whereas heating mats of the type described above have been found to be highly suitable to provide heating after a repair step of an article, the problem of securing the mat to the article has in some cases proved impossible and furthermore it has in the past been found necessary to either remove one or more mats in the vicinity of the repair area in order to obtain access to the repair area so that the repair step may be carried out or alternatively not heat the article in the repair area.